


Christmas with the Mellarks

by Konzelwoman



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-04 21:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3092063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Konzelwoman/pseuds/Konzelwoman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not Christmas till the tree falls down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is the first chapter of this story, and I will post a chapter a day on my profile through New Years starting on the 22nd after PIPs closing. :)[Here](http://everybirdfellsilent.tumblr.com/post/105043877915/prologue-xxx-katniss-heard-the-whining) is the prologue if you would like the back story. _

X-X-X

"It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, eeeeeeevry wheeeeere you goooooo!"

Katniss rolled her eyes as Peeta sang along with Bing Crosby, off key and with all his might in the next room over. Still, she smiled, because, as tone deaf as he was, and as musically inclined as she was, it was oddly…. _Cute_.

"Hey!" She yelled, stopping him mid verse.

Poking his head around the doorframe he grinned at her, his eyes glinting like the lights on the tree. “Hey!” he yelled back, matching her volume.

Katniss closed her eyes, her back turned to him, composing herself. Plastering on a smile, and using the sickly sweet, dripping with sarcasm voice she used when she was frustrated, she looked over her shoulder, trying to play coy. “Peeta, darling.”

“ _Yeeeees_?” His voice was ridiculous, like a roller coaster starting low and ending on a high note, and dammit, it made her smile. He grinned, knowing he’d made a dent in her resolve.

"Darling, sweet, Peeta." She was stalling. The song was almost over. "Can I sing the next song? Whatever it is?"

Peeta scowled at her, but on him it was comical instead of terrifying. “What’s the matter? You don’t like my siiiiiiingiiiiing?” He singsonged the last word, causing her to flinch.

"No! No." He raised his eyebrows at her and she matched him. "No." He huffed at her, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe as he tapped his foot in impatience. "I simply thought you would want to hear me sing, is all." She shrugged, turning back to her suitcase to finish packing.

"Oh, that is _low_ , Everdeen.”

She smiled as she heard Peeta walking up behind her. Continuing to pack, she went on. “Oh, didn’t you hear? My last name isn’t Everdeen anymore. I got married.”

She felt Peeta’s arms snake around her waist, his upturned lips brushing her neck as he spoke, his breath warm against her skin. “Oh, _really_? Is that so?”

Katniss nodded. “Mmm-Hmm!” And held up her ring clad hand. “See?”

He chuckled, resting his chin on her shoulder, his warm, scruffy cheek against her ear. “Well, who is the lucky bastard cupid shot through the heart with an arrow? I need names, Everdeen. So I know who to kill to win your heart.”

Katniss gasped. “Violence is not the answer, sir!”

"Names, please." There were his lips again, dancing, taunting on her skin.

"Only a last name, okay?"

His voice had dropped an octave or two. “Sure.”

"Ok. His last name is M _mmmmm_ ….” Peeta kissed her neck, making her mind go blank.

He chuckled as he pulled away slightly.

"You bastard," Katniss said, her voice completely void of any insult due to her smile.

"That’s right. Everyone has said the same thing. I’m one lucky bastard."

Just then the radio DJ announced the next song, and Katniss swatted lightly at Peeta’s head. “Shhhhh!”

"What?"

One look silenced him as she began to shift her weight from foot to foot with the beat of music, Peeta swaying along with her. It was Michael Bublè’s version of Santa Clause is Coming to Town, two of Katniss’ guilty pleasures in one.

Her voice was strong and somewhat crackly this low in her register.

 _You better watch out_  
You better not cry  
You better not pout  
I’m telling you why  
Santa Claus is coming to town

"Oh, he is, now?" Peeta quipped, making her laugh.

 _He’s making a list_  
He’s checking it twice;  
He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice  
Santa Claus is coming to town

"That dude always freaked me out."

Their swaying became a little more exaggerated.

 _He sees you when you’re sleeping_  
And he knows when you’re awake  
He knows if you’ve been bad or good  
So be good for goodness sake!

Peeta twirled her around to face him with the tinkling of piano keys, still swaying, but holding each other like any good dancers would.

 _You better watch out_  
You better not cry  
You better not pout  
I’m telling you why  
Cause Santa Claus is coming to town

A big band style break came and Peeta twirled her and lifted her, Katniss finally grateful for that dance class they had taken for their wedding.

Going back to gentle swaying, she leaned her forehead against his.

 _He sees you when you’re sleeping_  
And he knows when you’re awake  
And he knows if you’ve been bad or good  
So be good for goodness sake!

 _You better watch out_  
You better not cry  
You better not pout  
I’m telling you why  
Santa Claus is coming to town

 _You better watch out_  
You better not cry  
You better not pout  
I’m telling you why  
Santa Claus is coming  
I mean a big fat man with a long white beard

"See? Creepy!"

_He’s coming to town_

X-X-X

Katniss set her last bag by the front door, pulling out her list from her pocket, double checking that everything was here.

Peeta appeared not long after, lugging his last bag along with him. “Got everything?”

"I think so. You packed all the presents, right?"

Peeta held up the bag he had just set down. “Check.”

They were going to a cabin Peeta’s parents’ owned in the mountains for Christmas and new years.

Katniss would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little apprehensive. Peeta’s family - father, mother, and two older brothers - would be there, along with her family - her mother and little sister - their friends Jo, Finnick, and Annie tagging along as well.

Cinna nudged her hand as if he could read her mind. _Don’t forget about me!_ She looked down at the Golden Retriever and smiled.

"Go get your bag, Cinna!" Peeta said, Katniss looking up at him with a questioning scowl. "We’ve been working on it."

The dog barked with a wag of his tail, and took off toward the back of the house, coming back only seconds later holding a small duffle bag between his teeth.

Katniss smiled at Peeta who smiled back. “It’s just his bed, toys, and some treats. I have his food separately. It was too heavy.”

Cinna was riffling through the bag as soon as he heard “treats”. He looked up from the bag with a bone with a bow wrapped around it in his mouth, snorting when the bow tickled his nose, making them laugh.

"Just don’t let him get into the catnip for Buttercup." Katniss joked. They had taken Buttercup up to the cabin to be a barn cat, and he seemed to be extremely happy there.

At the sound of the name, Cinna perked his ears up. “No. No boy. As much as I would like for you to, you have to refrain from chasing Buttercup while we are there.” The dog whined at Katniss’ words and hung his head. “At least for a the first few days.” He looked up with a glint in his eyes and wagged his tail ever so slightly. “I knew I was always a dog person.”

X-X-X

They got to the cabin several hours later, Finnick and Annie pulling in behind them having followed them from the edge of town, Johanna carpooling with them.

After Katniss opened the door to let Cinna out, he raced over to Finnick who wrestled with him on all fours in the snow.

Annie laughed. “I married a dog.”

"You’re just now figuring that out?" Peeta quipped.

Johanna popped out of the backseat of Annie and Finnick’s car. “Brainless!” She ran and gave Katniss a hug. “Bread Boy!” she said turning to Peeta with a hug. “I’m going to go look for fire wood.”

"Oh, there should already been some. The caretaker, Haymitch, was supposed to have-" Katniss stopped at a look from Finnick and Annie, and Johanna was already walking away.

Finnick, now back on two feet, made motions of an axe chopping wood and mouthed the word “axe”.

No one really knew where she had learned the skill, but Johanna was remarkably good with an axe. Scary good, to put it more accurately.

She proved the fact later after everyone had arrived and was unloading all the luggage, as she split logs in single strikes. Even Peeta had trouble doing that.

A park ranger truck pulled up and out hopped a man with a jacket embroidered with the name “Hawthorne”.

"Hi, folks," he said, his voice deep and bassy.

Johanna finally paused hacking at the pieces of wood. “Well, hello handsome,” she mumbled, making Katniss snort as she carried a freshly split piece of wood to the pile, now almost taller than her.

"I’m ranger Hawthorne. Gale Hawthorne."

Finnick meandered aimlessly over by Jo and Katniss, muttering, “Bond. James Bond,” making them both stifle laughter.

Ranger Gale shook hands with the adults, Haymitch finally stumbling out of the house, flinching at the bright sun reflecting off of the snow.

"What’s the tale, Ranger Gale?" He hollered, earning a few laughs, even from Hawthorne.

"There is a storm, coming, old man. Just making sure everyone is safe and prepared."

"When will it be here?" Katniss asked, worry fillings her at the possibility of being snowed in with all those people.

Hawthorne looked at her, something changing in his demeanor. “A day or two, Miss….” He trailed off, approaching her and holding out his hand to shake.

Peeta was suddenly beside her, arm around her waist, as he answered for her. “ _Mrs._ Mellark.”

Gale stopped short, lowering his hand and squaring his shoulders. “Mrs. Mellark.” Was he appraising Peeta? Peeta rose to his full height and squared his own shoulders, not wavering in his stare off with Gale.

Finally Gale retreated with a grunt to speak with Haymitch, Jo finally speaking up again, staring after his retreating frame. “Well you might be a Mrs. now, but I’m not, and _that_ is a tree I would climb any day.”

Finnick, Annie, Peeta, and Katniss all laughed, Finnick piping up, “I’m not sure if I should warn him about you or your axe.”

X-X-X

After everyone was settled in, Haymitch going over the basics of everything in the house with everyone before retreating to his little cabin a few feet from the main cabin, things were eerily calm.

Mrs. Mellark was the first to break the silence. “Well, that Haymitch certainly is something.”

Katniss cringed at the condescending tone. Peeta had hired Haymitch, she knew that.

"And that Hawthorne fellow. I hope he stops by again." Mr. Mellark glared at her implying tone and her three sons rolled their eyes. The rest of the group shifted uncomfortably, except for Johanna. Never had Katniss been so grateful for her brazenness.

"Sorry, Lady. He’s mine."

X-X-X

All was calm in the house, Prim and Katniss decorating the tree with their mother, Peeta in the kitchen with his brother’s and father, their mother sitting on the couch in front of the fire reading a book, and Finnick and Annie making a popcorn garland, most of the popcorn ending up in Finnick’s stomach.

Suddenly they heard Jo scream, “Incoming!” from outside, the door bursting open to Johanna’s smile that looked somewhat devious and locking eyes with Katniss, followed soon after by a screeching Buttercup being chased by Cinna.

The animals ran up to the second story of the cabin, only the sounds of rapid footsteps being heard until finally they ran downstairs and back out the front door which was swiftly shut by Johanna. Wiping her hands together in front of herself, she walked into the living room where all eyes were on her.

"What?"

Katniss sighed. This was going to be a long vacation.


	2. Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation, nothing to do with PIPs.

_A/N: Thank you so much to[mrsbonniemellark](http://tmblr.co/mwdarNGlYvvdtqaW9ra6O-A) and [perksofbeingpeeta](http://tmblr.co/m3viLD0fs0qaoeWi9NWoDKA) for being my sound boards and proofreaders! It isn’t as flushed out as I wanted, but part three hopefully will be. Enjoy!_

X-X-X

The rest of the day went easily enough. Johanna was…. Somewhere. Annie and Finnick were out for a walk, Peeta’s parents had retired to their room to take a nap, his brothers were off doing God knows what, Mrs. Everdeen sat in a rocking chair by the fire, knitting, Prim admiring her work from her perch on the hearth, and Katniss and Peeta sat in the window seat, admiring the view. Haymitch meandered in and made himself at home on their couch.

A knock on the door startled Katniss out of a deep conversation with him about a book series they both loved about a dystopian future where revolution was brewing. The knock came right as they were discussing the bombings in the third book, Haymitch gesturing with his hands and saying, “Boom!” right as the knock came.

"Oh! That’s for me! I’ll get it!" Prim said as she ran through the house, her voice almost bubbling over in excitement.

Katniss smiled as she watched her sister run. A year away from graduating high school, and the back of her shirt still remained untucked. Katniss was convinced it was merely to annoy her at this point.

Before Prim opened the door, Katniss coughed over dramatically to catch her attention before singsonging, “Oh, Little Duuuuuck….”

"Yes, Katnip?"

The battle of childhood nicknames had begun.

"Fine." Katniss grimaced. "You win."

Prim grinned and stuck her chin out in triumph, but Katniss smiled as she caught her slyly tucking in the back of her shirt before opening the door.

"Oh, Primrose!" a shrill woman’s voice rang out through the cabin.

Haymitch went stiff at the voice, sitting up straight in his seat.

Katniss eyed him suspiciously.

He gave her a look that was like a deer in the headlights.

"Effie!" Prim squealed, reaching out to hug the still unseen woman.

Haymitch screwed his eyes shut for only a moment before opening them to a smirking Katniss. “Help me,” he mouthed.

Katniss adopted a Cheshire grin, directing her next words at a scowling Haymitch. “Prim? Let whoever is out there in, it’s freezing!”

Prim held the door open and stepped back to let the guests in. The woman appeared to be Haymitch’s age, and was dressed to the nines in top grade winter gear, her golden hair done up in a perfect, beautiful bun, and her face painted with makeup as if she would be photographed at any moment.

Beside her was a little girl, not much younger than Prim, maybe eleven or twelve, with dark skin, and tight curly, beautiful dark hair. Her eyes were nervous, but lit up when she saw the Christmas tree. She caught Katniss’ gaze and smiled shyly, waving a small hello, making Katniss smile.

"Everyone, you know I volunteer at the orphanage downtown? Well this is my little charge while I am there, and, well, I invited her for Christmas. I hope no one minds." She looked at Peeta guiltily and a little pleadingly.

Katniss turned to see her husband beaming as he looked at Rue, and that made her stomach do silly things. “Of course we don’t mind!” He said happily. “She is most welcome to stay and eat all the cookies and candy canes she wants.”

Rue giggled a little.

Smiling, Prim continued the introductions. “And this is Effie. She is Rue’s chaperone for the trip.”

"Nice to meet you all," Effie nodded her head to each person in turn. When she saw the back of Haymitch’s head, her eyes seemed to turn slightly mischievous. "Haymitch?"

Haymitch had slowly sunk down on the couch as they had talked, so only the very top of his head was visible. Slowly he turned his head to look up, and when he finally met her unwavering stare, he plastered on a grin. “Effie!” He made no motion to move, only sat there smiling and staring.

"Effie, why don’t you come and sit down?" Peeta asked, indicating the empty seat on the couch next to Haymitch.

Haymitch snapped his head toward Peeta and Katniss, scowling and looking as if he were out for blood, but they only smiled back at him.

Effie smiled and nodded gratefully at the invitation, Prim taking her jacket for her before she moved to the couch.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Mrs. Everdeen asked.

"Oh, Haymitch and I go way back. We have known each other, what, ten years now? He was volunteering at the orphanage and I had just started working there. He helped me find my way around for the first few days, and, we just hit it off."

Haymitch simply nodded and stared at the floor while she talked, his arms crossed.

"We were together so much, people asked if we were dating."

"Is that so?" Katniss prodded.

Haymitch glanced up at her and Peeta, his lip curling in a snarl.   
  
“Why don’t the two of you head over to his cabin for a little while to catch up?” Mrs. Everdeen asked. “This place will be filling back up with people soon, so it’ll be quieter over there.”

Haymitch stood up wordlessly and went to stand by the door, putting on his coat. Effie stood and thanked them all for letting them stay, and went over to where Haymitch was waiting with her coat held out for her. She seemed to blush at his little act of kindness, as did he, especially when his fingers grazed her neck as he pulled his hands away after helping her with the coat.

"We’ll finish our conversation when you get back later," Katniss called out as Effie walked out the door Haymitch held open for her.

"Yes. We will." Something in his voice told Katniss that discussion would not be more about the book series.

X-X-X

Katniss learned all about Rue. She was smart, and kind, and so much like Prim.

She loved wild flowers, and giggled anytime Peeta talked to her.

She and Peeta had baked cookies, and he had stood behind her to help her push on the cookie cutters a couple of times. Rue had glanced over at Katniss who was mixing up the frosting, and blushed, a wide grin on her face. Peeta caught it every time and winked at Katniss.

Peeta was so happy. She could see him doing this with his own kids someday.

Slowly people had started dribbling back into the cabin and Katniss and the gang all sat on the back porch, nursing mugs of hot cocoa.

"Christmas is weird."

Everyone looked over at Johanna, their faces all too different to describe, but all conveying the same thing. They always did. And it was always the same inner thought. _What the hell, Jo?_

Looking at them, unmoved by their expressions, she continued on. “I mean, think about it. A giant old guy with a long white beard comes down your chimney to eat cookies and drink milk and give you gifts. And all in a red suit. It’s creepy. It’s like that suit is blood. It should be. It basically is.” She looked off into the distance thoughtfully once more. “Christmas is weird.”

"Jo, you’re not helping," Finnick said calmly.

Slowly dipping her head and turning it to him, she said with a chuckle, “Do I ever, Goldilocks?”

"What if you don’t have a chimney?" Annie looked off in the distance, deep in thought.

Shared glances and a few shudders resulted in the group thanking Annie for that _wonderful_ query.

"I’m gonna tell my kids he is like a surfer dude." Finnick changed the subject.

Peeta looked at him skeptically. “A man who lives in the north pole is a surfer dude?”

Finnick nodded, a serious expression on his face. “Yeah, man. All the fat?” He gestured around his belly to indicate Santa’s girth as if no one knew. “Insulation. Red suit? Scuba suit.”

"Reindeer?" Peeta challenged.

"Narwhals."

"Damn." Peeta said in defeat. "I always knew they had a purpose."

"Oh, no honey. I think you mean they had a _porpoise_.” Katniss was beaming as the group slowly turned to her. After a beat, she was still oblivious. “Get it?”

X-X-X

Soon everyone began contemplating on the exact placement of the tree topper.

All the bakers in the group arguing over which way it should face and the like, treating it like a cake topper.

Suddenly, the front door swung open, and Peeta’s brothers both appeared at the doorway screaming, “Incoming!”

Without warning a large barn owl flew in the doorway, and tried to settle in the tree, only to be dissuaded by the swinging tree topper Katniss was swinging at it in a frenzy, and turning to fly out the back door Johanna had just opened to get more wood for the fire.

Buttercup followed soon after, running under the tree and climbing up the branches, only to slide down unceremoniously and scamper out the backdoor.

Cinna was hot on his heels, making his way almost directly to the back door, but stopping for a moment to sniff, and subsequently pee on the tree before bolting out the back door.

Everyone stood with jaws agape. It had taken only seconds. The tree started to totter, tempting gravity.

Finnick saw this from across the room and in his Rudolph sweater with a blinking red nose, and a felt antler headband on his head, he yelled, “I’ve got this!” as he ran, hurdled the couch, using a cushion like a trampoline, using it’s propulsion to fly towards the tree, wrapping his arms and legs around it, only to have it still for a moment before slowly, finally, tipping over on top of him.

X-X-X

After that incident, Johanna had simply grabbed an axe and hollered, “Come on, Brainless. Let’s go get a tree.”

Peeta’s family and Mrs. Everdeen stayed behind to clean up the mess, everyone else heading out in search of a tree.

They finally split into groups when it started to snow lightly, Peeta, Johanna, and Annie in one group, and Prim, Rue, Katniss, and Finnick in another.

Slowly and surely the snow got heavier, and Katniss’ group decided to head back.

When they got to the cabin, they were surprised to see Ranger Gale and a much younger looking carbon copy of Ranger Gale standing in their doorway. Prim and Mini Gale seemed to be making goggly eyes at one another. “We were about to go looking for you!” Gale said.

Katniss stomped the snow off her boots. “Didn’t Peeta tell you we were out looking for a tree?”

Gale scowled. “No. He’s not here. Isn’t he with you?”

Katniss felt her heart drop.

"Annie?" Gale shook his head no.  
“Jo?” Another shake.  
“Peeta?” she whispered and he slowly shook his head no.

Katniss immediately went back out into the snow, following the footprints.

"What are you doing?" Gale called to her.

"Tracking."

Finnick was immediately by her side.

"How are you going to track them?" Gale called over the howling wind.

Katniss turned to him. “By following their footprints, Ranger Gale.”

Turning back around, she smiled when she heard Finnick snicker. “Feisty! You are a girl on fire today, Katniss.”

Suddenly Rue was beside her, holding her hand and following the footprints until they got to the point where they had split up.

Looking around, Katniss felt dread building in her stomach. “This is no place for a girl on fire.”

X-X-X

They followed the footprints until they couldn’t anymore. The snow had filled them in and they could barely see their own to make it back. Finnick had to practically drag her back.

When Katniss got back, she was numb emotionally. The love of her life, and her two best friends were out there, somewhere, alone.

The mini Ranger Gale, who she found out was his kid brother Rory, asked her a few questions about where they had last seen them before he and Gale hopped into his truck and took off to look for them.

Katniss needed to feel something. Anything. So she sat where they had sat together that morning in the window seat, and placed her palm against the glass. She hated feeling helpless. When she pulled her hand away, the warmth of her skin left a foggy handprint for just a moment, before vanishing, just like the footprints in the snow.

X-X-X

She stayed in that seat, tossing and turning, until finally gently woken up by Rue.

"He’s going to be okay, you know?" She whispered to Katniss.

"I sure hope so," she responded.

"I know so."

Katniss smiled at the beautiful face staring back at her. “Can’t sleep, huh?”

Rue shook her head. “Nope. First night in a new place. Always kind of weird.”

Katniss laughed. “I know what you mean.” Patting the seat in front of her, Katniss wrapped her arms around Rue as she lay back on her chest. She remembered comforting Prim’s nightmares in much the same way.

"Would it help you if I sing?" She asked.

Rue looked up at her. “Only if you’re any good.”

Katniss laughed a real, deep laugh at that. “I have been told that I am.”

Rue smiled as she settled back in.

"Well then. You may proceed."

Looking out over the snow as she gently stroked Rue’s hair, Katniss sang a song held dear to her heart.

 _Deep in the meadow, under the willow_  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when again they open, the sun will rise.

She looked down at Rue and found her eyes drooping.

 _Here it’s safe, here it’s warm_  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you.

A floorboard creaked and Katniss looked up to see Prim smiling at her from the stairwell, Effie not far behind her, a hand resting on her shoulder and a tear rolling down her cheek. She looked back down to Rue with a smile.

 _Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it’s morning, they’ll wash away.

Rue was breathing deeply and evenly, and Katniss knew she was asleep. Still she continued, finishing the song as she looked back out over the snow, her warm breath hitting the window as she sang, revealing her handprint once again.

 _Here it’s safe and here it’s warm_  
And here the daisies guard you from every harm  
And here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you.

X-X-X

Katniss woke to the sound of a rumbling truck. Looking out the window she saw it was Gale’s truck and Peeta was hopping out of the back seat.

Rue, also waking to the sound, was already at the door, swinging it open.

Peeta ran in, following Rue’s pointing finger at Katniss and ran to her, sitting across from her on the bench, grabbing her face and kissing her. A long, deep kiss. Katniss realized she was crying when she tasted salt. They pulled back from one another, laughing and he wrapped her in a hug, his own tears falling on her shirt.

He pulled back to look at her. “I should have never agreed to letting them separate us. That was when I lost you!”

"But you’re here now. I never doubted you’d make it back. I even held your hand all night. See?"

Katniss blew on the window to reveal her handprint. Looking at her in wonder, he said, “Do that again.” Katniss obliged, blowing once again on the window, and Peeta quickly added his handprint on top of hers.

X-X-X

The bickering had only begun small, but over the two days the had been there, had quickly escalated, mainly from Mrs. Mellark.

She was pattering on about some silly little thing for the millionth time, ending in Jo and Katniss yelling at her, and her matching their volume, doors slamming, and Katniss being left alone on the couch.

She was beginning to lose hope at every seeing their families get along.

Cinna sat in front of her, staring, seemingly into her soul.

"Stop it," she scowled.

Cinna whined softly.

"Because it’s creepy." She hesitated. "Great. Now I’m talking to a dog."

"I’ve been called many things, darlin’, but dog has never made the list… Yet."

She couldn’t help but smile at Haymitch’s drunken slur behind her, his warm voice hinting at attempted comfort.

"Would you like for that to start now?" She ribbed.

He chuckled gruffly. “Sweetheart, something tells me you’ve got a lot you’d like to say to me but on some deep level, we are two peas in a pod.” Silence hung between them before he added softly, “You’re the only real friend I’ve got out here.”

"And that’s just barely."

Haymitch chuckled.

"And what about Effie?"

Haymitch mimicked her in a ridiculous voice, adding on at the end, “Aw, shaddup. Mind yer own business, girl.”

Katniss laughed. “Tell that to Mrs. Mellark.”

Haymitch laughed a hearty laugh and opened the door, cursing when the wind blew before he slammed it shut.

Cinna was still staring at her, and this time it was like he was talking. “I’m still betting on you.”

X-X-X

It was Christmas Eve and the storm had officially snowed everyone in, including Ranger and Mini Ranger Gale, and the power was out.

Luckily Katniss and Peeta had a room with a fireplace, so they sat in front of it to keep warm, and she and Peeta were toasting some cheesy bread he had made over the flames for a midnight snack.

"Peeta?" Katniss’ voice was small.

"Yeah?" He turned to her with that grin she loved so much.

"Can I give you your gift now? I don’t want everyone to make a big deal about it tomorrow."

"Why? Is it like lingerie or something?"

Katniss playfully shoved his shoulder as he chuckled. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you want.”

Katniss bit her lip for a minute, deciding before getting up and going to her suitcase.

Pulling out a white envelope, she walked back over to him, holding it out for him to take.

"Gift certificates? Nice." He joked, his hands stilling when he realized what he was pulling out was a photo.

Pulling it all the way out he saw it was a photo of a sonogram. In the corner it said, “Patient: K. Mellark”.

"Katniss, are you-"

"Mmm-hmm," she nodded, still biting her lip, trying not to smile.

"Is this-"

"Mmm-hmm," she nodded, starting to smile.

"We’re having a-"

"Mmm-hmm," she nodded, beaming.

He looked up at her, dumbstruck, a smile matching hers growing on his face.

Looking her in the eyes, he whispered excitedly, “We’re having a baby!”


End file.
